Wytheville, Virginia
Wytheville is a town in and the county seat of Wythe County, Virginia. The population of the town is 8,211. Demographics As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the town is: 85.99% White (7,061) 10.22% Black or African American (839) 3.79% Other (311) 20.6% (1,691) of Wytheville residents live below the poverty line. Theft rate statistics Wytheville has below average to average rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The town reported 5 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 1.12 murders a year. Pokemon See the Wythe County page for more info. Fun facts * A few cases of polio during the summer of 1950 swelled into an epidemic of hundreds. It was known to cause infantile and even adult paralysis. Of the 5,513 inhabitants of the town, 184 people contracted the disease, resulting in 17 fatalities. From the beginning of June until the end of August, parents kept children inside, and large gatherings were cancelled to diminish the chance of infection. As the epidemic progressed, ambulances drove victims approximately 80 miles (130 km) trip to Memorial Crippled Children's Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. Hearses from local funeral homes were used when ambulances were unavailable. Black patients with polio were repeatedly denied admission to Roanoke's hospital and were forced to make the approximately 300 miles (480 km) trip drive to St. Philip's Hospital in Richmond, the closest one to serve blacks. ** The Town Council erected billboards at all five entrances to the county, warning potential visitors of the epidemic and urging tourists to return the following year. By the end of the summer, unknown assailants stole or demolished all five billboards. Though the Town Council offered a reward for information, no one came forward. * The town is home to a Chautauqua Festival, held the third weekend in June every year since 1985. The Festival features live concerts, stage magic, arts and crafts, hot air ballooning, dance, children's activities and diverse carnival-style food. The presence of the hot air balloons for the yearly festival inspired the balloon-themed painting of the town's water tower, visible to I-81 travellers near the I-77 interchange. The Festival is held at Elizabeth Brown Memorial Park and is cosponsored by the county, town and the Wythe Arts Council. * The town is the birthplace of Edith Bolling Wilson, second wife of President Woodrow Wilson. * During the American Civil War, Wytheville had a strategic importance. It was attacked in 1863 (Toland's Raid) and 1865 (Stoneman's 1865 Raid). * Wytheville has a bit of amenities to offer. It has dollar stores, a contest hall and showcase theater, a golf club, Wytheville Commons, Walmart, Nintendo Wordl, a bit of local restaurants and businesses, some public battle fields, two sports complexes, Food Lion, a community college, Great Lakes to Florida Highway Museum, Wytheville Museum, Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum, Applebee's, Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel, Tractor Supply Co., some fast food, Ruby Tuesday, Lowe's Home Improvement, Petco, Food Lion, a flea market, a bit of auto parts places and car dealerships, Flying J and Pilot truck stops, some hotels/motels, Super Dollar Food Center, Moose Lodge, a Marquee cinema, Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre, and a few other things. Category:Virginia Towns